How do you rate your breathing?
from The Blue Mountains Gazette, Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Try this little quiz. Circle the number that applies to the frequency of your symptoms - 0 being never and 3 being quite a problem.
* Do you breathe through your mouth? 0 1 2 3
* Do you suffer from sinusitis? 0 1 2 3
* Is your breathing noisy? 0 1 2 3
* Is your breathing laboured? 0 1 2 3
* Do you get breathless easily? 0 1 2 3
* Do you find it hard to "catch your breath"? 0 1 2 3
1. When you exercise? 0 1 2 3
2. Just doing normal daily chores? 0 1 2 3
* Do you sleep well at night? 0 1 2 3
* Do you wake refreshed? 0 1 2 3
* Do you snore? 0 1 2 3
* Do you wake frequently at night? 0 1 2 3
* Is your mouth dry in the morning? 0 1 2 3
* Do you have intense dreams? 0 1 2 3
* Does your upper chest move when you breathe? 0 1 2 3
* Do you have asthma? 0 1 2 3
* Do you have a persistent cough, snuffle or congestion? 0 1 2 3
If you circled numbers 1, 2 or 3 for any of these questions, then you are probably over breathing. Most people with asthma, hayfever and sinusitis, breathe enough air per minute for 2 or 3 people, often without it being noticed by themselves or others. In snorers it usually is noticed – sometime the house shakes with it!
The more serious your over breathing is, the more symptoms you will have ticked.
Good breathing is always nasal, quiet, diaphragmatic and gentle, not deep. Good breathing begins with good posture - hold your head up and always ensure that your back is straight whether sitting or standing. Relax your diaphragm area as much as possible and once again, above all, breathe in and out only through your nose.
Just as we have to learn what food is good for us and how to exercise correctly, we need to learn how to breathe properly. I work with people as young as 3 and those just as young at heart but in their 90’s plus. I work with dancers, singers, athletes and naturally, people with asthma and breathing related disorders.
For more information, phone Jennifer Harris on 0414 833 857.